Selcuk Bayraktar confirms Akinci UAV production in Saudi Arabia by 2025

Baykar Chairman Selcuk Bayraktar makes statements aboard Turkiye’s TCG Anadolu drone carrier ahead of a parade along the Istanbul Strait as part of Blue Homeland,” a TEKNOFEST event showcasing Turkiye’s naval and maritime capabilities, Istanbul, Türkiye, August 24, 2025. (AA Photo)

Baykar Chairman Selcuk Bayraktar makes statements aboard Turkiye’s TCG Anadolu drone carrier ahead of a parade along the Istanbul Strait as part of Blue Homeland,” a TEKNOFEST event showcasing Turkiye’s naval and maritime capabilities, Istanbul, Türkiye, August 24, 2025. (AA Photo)

Selcuk Bayraktar, chief technology officer of Baykar, announced that production lines for the Bayraktar Akinci unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) are being established in Saudi Arabia, with the first deliveries scheduled for 2025.

He spoke in an interview with Breaking Defense.

https://x.com/agneshelou27/status/1961759987438436534

According to the agreement:

Production facilities are under construction in Saudi Arabia.
The first Akinci UAV delivery will take place in 2025.
Intellectual property (IP) rights will be jointly shared by Türkiye and Saudi Arabia.

The move strengthens Baykar’s role in the global defense industry while supporting Saudi Arabia’s domestic production goals.

Bayraktar Akinci UCAV performs during Türkiye's premier technology and aerospace event TEKNOFEST on the first day at Ercan Airport in Lefkosia, TRNC on May 01, 2025. (AA Photo)

Birth and development of Bayraktar Akinci

Developed by Baykar Technology, the Bayraktar Akinci is Türkiye’s first high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned combat aircraft.

The name “Akinci” was inspired by the vanguard units of the Ottoman era.

Development process: Work began in 2018. The first prototype successfully flew on Dec. 6, 2019.
Entry into service: It officially joined the Turkish Armed Forces inventory on Aug. 29, 2021.
Engines: It is powered by Ivchenko-Progress AI-450C turboprop engines sourced from Ukraine.

Operational use and impact

The Akinci stands out as the first Turkish UAV with maneuverability similar to fighter jets.
It has been actively deployed in cross-border operations such as “Pence-Kilit.”
Following the 2023 Türkiye-Syria earthquake, it carried out over 1,500 flight hours for search-and-rescue and reconnaissance missions.

Bayraktar Akinci Hale UCAV conducts live-fire test with indigenously developed Kemankes 1 AI-powered mini cruise missile, July 3, 2025, Edirne, Türkiye. (Photo via Baykar)

Strategic importance

The Akinci has become a flagship of Türkiye’s defense exports. The Saudi deal not only expands its global footprint but also represents a shift toward joint production and technology transfer.

Analysts say this marks more than an export—it signals a strategic partnership anchored in shared defense innovation.

August 30, 2025 04:10 PM GMT+03:00